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Hypertension: Treatment

Combined with lifestyle management techniques, today's blood pressure medicines can safely help most people control their blood pressures and hypertension. These medicines are easy to take. The side effects, if any, tend to be minor.

Blood pressure medicines work in different ways to lower blood pressure. Some remove extra fluid and salt from the body to lower blood pressure. Others slow down the heartbeat or relax and widen blood vessels. Often, two or more medicines work better than one. Medicines include:

Diuretics. Diuretics are sometimes called water pills. They help your kidneys flush excess water and salt from your body. This lessens the amount of fluid in your blood and your blood pressure goes down. Diuretics are often used with other blood pressure medicines and sometimes combined into one pill.